Apparatus for making u-shaped brake hangers



June 16, 1953 F. SCHAEFER APPARATUS FOR MAKING u SHAPE BRAKE HANGERS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1950 'V 2 INVENTOR.

June 16, 1953 F. SCHAEFER 2,642,112

APPARATUS FOR MAKING U SHAPE BRAKE HANGERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April7, 1950 In N INVENTOR.

Irma. MW

Patented June 16, 1953 YFFP E APPARATUS FOR MAKING U-SHAPED v BRAKEHANGERS Frederic Schaefer, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to SchaeferEqu'pment Company, Pittsburgh, Pan a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication April "1,, 1950, Serial No. -1514,610

This invention relates to the manufacture of U-shaped brake hangerswhich suspend brake beams from the trucks of railroad cars.

A common way of manufacturing U-shaped brake hangers is iirst to heatand upset one end of around rodto form a thickened portion which ispunched to provide one eye for the hanger. The opposite end of therod isheated, upset and punched to form the other eye. The rod then isreheated and bent into a loop having parallel legs connected by anoutwardly curving yokeforming member. Next, suitable dies move the legsaway from each other and straighten the yoke-forming member. Followingthis, the hanger is again reheated and forced to cause the metal at theyoke corners of the "hanger to flow outwardly to form strengthening ribsFinally, the hanger is reheated and oil quenched.

Although hangers produced by the above method are, in most cases,satisfactory, some of them have been found to be weakened at their yokecorners. Thisis dueto the fact that the separate step of forging thecorners to form the strengthening. ribs sometimes sets up therein andeventually may cause. the corners to crack. Also, the bending of theoriginal straight rod at 90 degrees may overstressit. Some difficultyalso is encountered in making the legs of the hanger exactly the samelength and perfectly straight and parallel without deforming the thenthe side members are spread farther apart legs and simultaneouslycomplete the straightening of the yoke. All hangers thus are made thesame length and are provided with straight parallel legs. Openings thencan be punched or drilled in the flattened portions of the hanger tocomplete the eyes of the hanger, by which the hanger is suspended in acar truck. g

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.l is a side View of a narrow hanger blank after the initial forgingopstrains hanger eyes. Another drawback to such a method of makinghangers liesin the'necessity for numerous heatsbefore the product isfinished. In the method outlined above, at least four heatsarereq'u'ire'd, which increase the time and number of workmen requiredfor the job. Consequently, the costof the product likewise is increased.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide apparatus formanufacturing U-shaped brake hangers, for'which less heats are'requiredthan heretofore, and which produces stronger and more accurately formedhangers. Another object is ito'pr'ovi'd'e apparatus for stretching aU-sh'ap'ed hanger blank to correct size without injuring it.

'In accordance withthi 'invention, a metal bar is heated'to forgingtemperature and then forged to form a narrow blank having spaced sidemembers "connected atone 'endby' an outwardly curved end member, andhaving atthe opposite end flattened'portions'of increased'width whichlater will be provided withaligne'd pin-receiving openings. Theflattenedportions lie in substantially par- 'allel planes and'projectfrom opposite sides of the legs. At the 'sametime that the baris forged, theportio'nsof'the blank where its side members joinim'e'mirved end member are thickened in the 'pl'a-neoi theblank, such'asby forging ribs on the outside'of-the blank. After the forgingoperaticn, the -fl'ash' "is eration; Fig. 2 is a side view of thetrimmed blank spread out wider; Fig. 3 is a side view of theblank-stretching apparatus; Fig. l is a vertical section thereof, takenon the line IV-IV of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, butshowing the blank stretched; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of theapparatusas shown in Fig. 5.

"Referring to Fig. lof the drawings, a suitable body of metal, such as ashort heavy rod (not shown), is heated to a forging temperature and thenforged between suitable dies to form a narrow blank having parallel sidemembers i con nected atone end by an outwardly curved end member "2. Atthe junctures of the side memberswith the end member, outsidestrengthening ribs 3 are formed at the same time. During this sameforging operation the other ends of the side members are provided withwide flattened por- 'tions Q that project in parallel planes'from theopposite sides of the legs. These portions have flat inner and outersurfaces, and curved side surfaces that merge into the side members.These flattened portions are-needed in order to provide sufficient metalfor the hanger eyes that are "trimmed from the blank, and

formed later. The usual flash 5 surrounds the forged blank and fills thespace between the side members.

'-'Following this forging operation, the flash metal is trimmed away andthen the side members i are spread farther apart in a suitable spreadingmachine which is illustrated schemati 'cally by the spreading tools 6 inFig. 2. The side members, which now'become' hanger legs, are held moreor less parallel, and the previously curved end member..? isstraightened to a large extent and becomesa hanger yoke. 'cornersareformed where the side members, and ribs 3 extend around the Relativelysharp the .end member joins outside of these two corners tostrengthenthem. The-spreadblank then is placed in the machine shown. in Figs. 3 toG te stretch the legs and to complete the straightening of the yoke.

' .The hanger stretching machine includes abase plate i 9 whichismountedrigidly on any suitable .a screw 24.

the latter back toward brackets i6.

plate by any suitable means.

on its side above the slide bar.

machine bed (not shown). The top of the plate is provided with a narrowraised surface H extending lengthwise of it along its center. Onopposite sides of this surface at the front of the plate there areupright guide walls [2 integral with the plate. Near the rear end of thesupport is another pair of guide walls 13. Slidably mounted on raisedsurface I l and against the inner faces of the guide walls is arectangular bar it. The bar projects behind the rear end of the plateand there has a thicker and wider head l5 that is guided between a pairof brackets [6 that are secured to the top of the base plate and proiectbehind it. The front end of the slide bar is held down on the plate by across member I! bolted to the front guide walls [3, which have upwardlyprojecting portions engaging the front side of the cross member.

The slide bar Hi normally is held in its retracted or rear position bycoil springs 20 mounted on horizontal rods 2 I. The front ends of theserods are anchored in blocks 22 mounted on the front portion of the baseplate, and the rear ends of the rods extend slidably through an anglebar 23 that extends across the plate and fits against the front andupper surfaces of the head 15. The angle bar is notched to fit down overthe slide bar, and is secured to its head by means of The coil springsare compressed between the blocks and this angle bar, so as to urge Theslide bar is moved forward periodically on the base For the sake ofillustration only, a rotatable cam 25 is shown engaging the rear end ofthe bar head for pushing the slide bar forward.

Rigidly mounted on top of the rear guide walls is, and extending acrossthe top of the slide bar This block is provided at its opposite help tosupport the legs l of a hanger blank lying The rear part of each ledgeis cut away and its rear surface 29 is inclined down to a shallow recessin the underlying guide wall, whereby a depression 38 is formed forreceiving the lower part of one of the flattened portions 4 of thehanger blank. Rear "surface 29 of the ledge is shaped to fit as snuglyas possible against the adjoining side surface of- I the flattenedportion. The ledge-engaging surface of the flattened portion is at theend of that portion nearest the yoke, often referred to in the claimsherein as the yoke end of the flattened portion. A movable die 32,astraddle of the slide bar in front of clamping block 27, is rigidlymounted on the bar and is provided with laterally projecting ledges 33for supporting the front part of the hanger blank. The front of this dieis provided with a straight recess 34 adapted to engage the innersurface of the hanger yoke.

It will be seen that when the slide bar is moved ahead in Fig. 3, thedie 32 carried by it will engage the yoke of the hanger blank straddlingthe die and move the hanger bodily forward until its flattened portions4 are pulled into depressions 39 in the stationary clamping block andagainst inclined ledge surfaces 29. To hold the hanger legs down onledges 28 so that the flattened portions will stay down in depressions30, a movable clamping element 38 is provided. This element extendsentirely across the clamping block 2! and is pivotally mounted in thefront ends of a pair of rocker arms 31 whose central portions aremounted on a horizontal pivot pin 38. This pin extends through the upperpart of a support 39 integral with the rear end of the stationaryclamping block and projecting above it. The rear ends of the rocker armscarry a horizontal roller 41 which rolls on a cam 42 that is rigidlymounted on angle bar 23 and the head of the slide bar for reciprocationwith them. The thin front part of the cam slides in a slot 43 extendingthrough support 39. The movable clamping element 3t, which is longenough to overlie the upper sides of the horizontal hanger legs, isshaped to conform to the adjoining upper surfaces of flattened portions4 at their yoke ends. To permit the clamping element to be moved downonto the hanger blank, the stationary clamping block 2'! is providedwith a transverse recess 44. The front wall of the recess is engaged bythe front side of the movable clamping element when the latter is inclamping position. The portion of the clamping block in front of therecess thus forms a solid abutment for the movable element, which willprevent any movement of the latter during the stretching operation. Whenthe slide bar is in retracted position, the roller 4| rests on the lowerpart of the cam, because the front ends of the rocker arms are swungupward by a coil spring :35 which connects the movable clamping elementto a bracket 46 mounted on top of support 39.

In using this stretching machine the hanger blank, which has been formedas shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is laid on its side on ledges 23 and 33 asshown in Figs. 3 and 4. At this time slide bar [4 is retracted so thatflattened portions 4 of the blank can be inserted under the raisedclamping element 36, and yoke 2 canbe placed in front of movable die 32.The slide bar then is moved forward to carry the die forward. As soon asthe front end of the die engages the inner surface of the hanger yokethe hanger is moved bodily for ward, sliding on ledges 28. As the barcontinues to move forward the cam 42, which also is carried by it,raises the rear ends of rocker arms 31. This swings clamping element 35down into recess 44 of clamping block 21 and presses the upper clampingelement against the top of the hanger legs. The hanger legs continue tobe pulled forward between the two clamping members until the yoke endsof flattened portions 4 engage element 36 and clamping block surfaces 25in depressions 30. This engagement prevents any further forward movementof the flattened portions, but the slide bar has not yet completed itsfull forward stroke. The further short distance that it then travelscauses die 32, which is pushing forward against the yoke of the hangerblank, to stretch hanger legs I. This stretching also straightens thelegs and makes them parallel and the same length. Just before theforward stroke of die 32 is completed, it pushes the yoke into a recessll of a stationary die 48 bolted to guide walls 12 directly in front ofcross member H. when the two dies come together in this manner the yoke2 of the hanger blank is forged between them into a perfectly straightmember. As soon as slide bar i4 is moved back to its rear position bymeans of springs 20, the forged and stretched hanger can be pulled outof die 48 and lifted from the machine. It is then ready to have eyesformed in flattened portions 4. Because these flattened portions aresolid at the time of the stretching of the hanger, there is no danger ofdeformin the eyes, which have not yet been formed. All hangers stretchedin this machine are provided with straight, parallel legs of uni- 3 formlength, and their yokes are straightened and shaped properly.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple of my invention and have illustrated and described what I nowconsider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have itunderstood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for stretching a U-shaped brake hanger blank havinglaterally spaced legs connected at one end by a yoke and having at theiropposite end flattened portions of increased widthlying-in'substantially parallel planes, said apparatus comprising asupport, a bar slidable lengthwise thereon, a member mounted on the barfor engaging the inner surface of the yoke of said hanger when thehanger is laid on its side above the bar, a stationary clamping elementmounted on the support behind said me, ber and provided with depressionsfor receiving the lower parts of said flattened portionsof the hanger, arocker arm above the bar, means on said support pivotally supporting thearm on an axis transverse to the bar, a movable clamping element carriedby the front end of the arm, and a cam carried by the bar behind the armand adapted to lift therear end of the arm while the bar is movingforward, whereby to press the movable clamping element down on thehanger before said member pushes the yoke far enough forward to stretchthe hanger legs.

2. Apparatus for stretching a U-shaped brake hanger blank havinglaterally spaced legs connected at one end by a yoke and having at theiropposite end flattened portions of increased width lying insubstantially parallel planes, said apparatus comprising a support, abar slidable lengthwise thereon,,a member mounted on the bar forengaging the inner surface of the yoke of said hanger when the hanger islaid on its side above the bar, a stationary clamping element mounted onthe support behind said member and provided with depressions forreceiving the lower parts of said flattened portions of the hanger, apair of laterally spaced rocker arms above the bar, means on the supportbetween the arms pivotally supporting their central portions on an axisextending transversely of the bar, a movable clamping element connectingthe front ends of the arms, a roller connecting the rear ends of thearms, a cam carried by the bar behind said roller and adaptedto lift theroller while the bar is moving forward, whereby to pressv the movableclamping element down on the hanger legs before said member pushes theyoke far enough forward to stretch the hanger legs, and means forreciprocating said bar length- WlSe. V

3. Apparatus for stretching a U-shaped brake hanger blank havinglaterally spaced legs connected at one end by a yoke and having at theiropposite end flattened portions of increased width lying insubstantially parallel planes, said apparatus comprising a support, abar slidable lengthwise thereon, a member mounted on the bar forengaging the inner surface of the yoke of said hanger when the hanger islaid on its side above the bar, a stationary clamping element mounted onthe support behind said member and provided with depressions forreceiving the lower parts of said flattened portions of the hanger,a-pair of laterally spaced rocker arms movable clamping member, meansmovably 6 above the bar, means between the arms pivotally supportingtheir central portions on an axis extending transversely of the'bar, amovable clamping element connecting the front ends of the arms, a rollerconnecting the rear ends of the arms, a cam carried by the bar behindsaid roller and adapted to lift the roller when the bar is movedforward, whereby to press the movable clamping element down on thehanger legs before said member pushes the yoke far enough forward tostretch the hanger legs, a rotatable cam engaging the rear end of saidbar for periodically moving the bar forward, and resilient meansconstantly urging the bar backward and holding it against said rotatablecam.

4. Apparatus for stretching a U-shaped brake hanger blank havinglaterally spaced legs connected at one end by a yoke and having at theiropposite end flattened portions of increased width lying insubstantially parallel planes, said apparatus comprising a support, adie rigidly mounted on the support, a member behind the die and movableforward toward it for engagingthe inner surface of the yoke betweenthem, a stationary clamping member mounted on said support behind saidmovable member, a movable clamping member mounted on the support formovement toward the stationary clamping member to hold said flattenedportions, means movably mounted on said support for moving saidyoke-engaging member forward toward said die to straighten the yokeagainst it, and means actuated by said first-mentioned means during itsforward movement for moving said movable clamping member toward thestationary clamp ing member to hold said flattened portions.

5. Apparatus for stretching 'a U-shaped brake hanger blank havinglaterally spaced legs connected at one end by a yoke and having at theiropposite end flattened portions of increased width lying insubstantially parallel planes, said apparatus comprising a support, adie rigidly mounted on the support, a member behind the die and movableforward toward it for engaging the inner surface of the yoke betweenthem, a stationary clamping member mounted on said support behind saidmovable member, a movable clamping member normally spaced from thestationary clamping member and movable toward it to holdsaid flattenedportions, a rocker arm mounted on said support and supporting saidmounted on the support for moving said yokeengagmg member forward towardsaid die to straighten the yoke against it, and a cam carried by saidmeans for rocking the arm while said means is moving forward, whereby tomove said movable clamping member toward the stationary clamping memberto hold said flattened portions.

FREDERIC SCHAEFER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

